Biden in 1991: The FBI ‘Do Not Reach Conclusions’ When Investigating Sexual Misconduct

"The reason why we cannot rely on the FBI report [is] you would not like it if we did because it is inconclusive. They say, 'He said, she said, and they said. Period."

By NTK Staff | 09.25.2018 @4:36pm

Senate Democrats have been calling for the FBI to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, but video unearthed by NTK Network shows one of their own, then-Sen. Joe Biden, pushing back on the notion that an FBI investigation would reach any kind of conclusion. The remarks were made during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991.

“I said from the beginning, this is about whether or not sexual harassment occurred,” Biden said. “And lastly, Judge, with me, from the beginning and at this moment, until the end, the presumption is with you. Now we are going to hear more witnesses. They are going to come in and corroborate your position and hers. And we will find out whether they are telling the truth or not, as best as we are capable of doing, just like you as a judge are when you look them in the eye and make a judgment.”

“Judge, this is less directed at you than it is to my pontificating colleagues, Democrat and Republican alike, so, Judge, I have not made my judgment, based upon this proceeding, because we have not heard all the evidence,” Biden continued.

“The last thing I will point out, the next person who refers to an FBI report as being worth anything, obviously doesn’t understand anything. FBI explicitly does not, in this or any other case, reach a conclusion, period. Period,” Biden said. “The reason why we cannot rely on the FBI report [is] you would not like it if we did because it is inconclusive. They say, ‘He said, she said, and they said. Period.”

“So when people wave an FBI report before you, understand they do not, they do not reach conclusions,” Biden said.